Police Federation blasts Ombudsman over 'abysmal' report delay

Published on Thursday, the PONI report follows a probe into the circumstances surrounding the 2018 death of LIsa Gow, 32, in north Belfast after she was struck by a stolen car on the Ballysillan Road.

The stolen Audi was being pursued by two unmarked PSNI vehicles when the tragedy occurred, and a stinger device had been deployed to deflate its tyres shortly before the collision.

The PONI report reveals that forensic evidence, including video footage from the police cars and a police helicopter, indicated that the lead police car was closely behind the Audi at the time of the collision.

PONI also found that the pursuit commander had previously assessed the pursuit to pose a “medium to high risk,” and made a radio transmission that the pursuing police cars should “pull back”.

The drivers of both police cars denied the criminal offence of driving dangerously.

Having considered the evidence provided by PONI, the PPS directed that neither police driver should be prosecuted.

Ombudsman Marie Anderson then considered whether any officer had committed any misconduct offences.

She subsequently recommended that the pursuit commander should be disciplined for “failing to ensure that action was taken to mitigate the risk” and also recommended that the driver of the lead police car should be disciplined for failing “to recognise the risk in not creating space between his police vehicle”.

However, the PSNI’s Professional Standards Department disagreed with the the ombudsman’s recommendations, instead, issuing the officers involved with advice designed to improve their future performance.

Following publication of the report, police federation chairman Liam Kelly said the tragedy occurred as a result of an offender’s “reckless act,” and highlighted that the driver of the stolen car was convicted of causing death by dangerous driving.

“This terrible incident in which Ms Gow was killed happened in April 2018. According to an independent expert on police pursuits the two police cars involved had been driven in compliance with police training and driving standards,” Mr Kelly said.

“That is where this should have ended. The officers were attempting to intervene and stop a dangerous offender.

“The offending driver, Martin Alexander Nelson, went through a Crown Court trial and was subsequently convicted and sentenced to eleven years imprisonment in July 2019. In contrast it has taken OPONI more than four years to publish its report. That is abysmal. In all that time, this entire incident has taken a heavy toll on the officers involved”.

The police ombudsman made a number of recommendations to police to improve the management of vehicle pursuits.

Welcoming the PSNI’s acceptance of these recommendations, Mrs Anderson said: “It is important that there is learning for individual officers following the traumatic circumstances of this police pursuit.

“My thoughts are with Lisa’s family, who lost her in a tragic accident. I thank them for their engagement with my investigators and for their patience in awaiting the outcome of this lengthy and complex investigation.”